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T-Mobile Describes Cell Siting Barriers, Urges FCC Relief

T-Mobile has told the FCC it plans to add tens of thousands of new cell sites and upgrade existing base stations, but is hitting governmental barriers at the state and local level.

In documents filed Thursday, T-Mobile said its wireless network currently has about 66,000 cell sites, including macro sites, small cells, and distributed antenna systems (DAS) nodes. The carrier said approximately 6,000 of those are located within public Right of Way (ROW) zones across 24 states, a number T-Mobile plans to increase to more than 50,000 across the country within five years.

However, T-Mobile asserts its progress is being delayed because of various hurdles that the operator said require “prompt FCC action.” *

Two obstacles T-Mobile noted are local siting requirements and zoning regulations. For example, the operator pointed to an “undergrounding” code in Minneapolis that requires base stations be underground as a condition of approval.

T-Mobile also contends local governments are imposing “exorbitant” site fees, such as recurring annual fees and application fees. The operator cited Cottleville, Mo., which previously charged each wireless carrier $6,000 per site each year, but now requires an annual fee of $6,000 per wireless antenna. This results in a 500 percent increase from $12,000 to $72,000 for T-Mobile to operate two facilities, the company said in its filing.

In places like San Francisco, meanwhile, wireless infrastructure is singled out for discretionary aesthetic factors that aren’t applied to other facilities, T-Mobile noted.

According to the filing, some areas don’t process siting applications in a timely matter, while others adopt on a formal freeze on requests, “or simply fail to act on applications.” For example, Florida currently has 26 jurisdictions that placed moratoria on applications, T-Mobile said, adding that two have been in moratoria for more than a year.

The recent filing is only the latest the debate over federal intervention on the state and local level for infrastructure deployments on the path to 5G.

In March, Verizon urged the FCC to take action to help clear what it called a “minefield” of municipal regulations around small cell deployments. *

The Commission decided in April to examine how state and local processes affect the speed and cost of infrastructure deployment, and consider whether to take action on siting applications that were not addressed in a timely manner.
The FCC requested comments on improving state and local infrastructure reviews.

“The Internet wasn’t meant to be metered in bits and bytes, so it’s insane that wireless companies are still making you buy it this way. The rate plan is dead — it’s a fossil from a time when wireless was metered by every call or text.” John Legere 1/5/2017

I hope they fight back and establish a precedent where it is $0 per wireless antenna. The rapacious over reach of government can start at the lowest levels.

"Government has three primary functions. It should provide for military defense of the nation. It should enforce contracts between individuals. It should protect citizens from crimes against themselves or their property." - Milton Friedman.

"Over the past year, the number of government retirees in Illinois drawing a yearly pension of $100,000 or higher has ballooned by more than 18 percent, putting added pressure on the state’s underfunded pension systems, a new analysis shows.

The number of government retirees getting six-figure retirement payouts grew to 14,320 – up from 12,056 the year before.

Those getting six-figure pensions include retired cops, lawmakers, judges, teachers — and an oral surgeon from the University of Illinois at Chicago believed to be the state’s only half-million-dollar-a-year government pensioner. Leslie Heffez, 59, a former UIC professor now in private practice in Highland Park and Chicago, is believed to have the highest public-employee pension in the state — $547,862."

This example is from just Illinois, but here you see where the money goes.... while the roads crumble. It bolsters the case for the local governments to stop swiping so much money AND not to waste what they take: it clearly looks like the local officials have made it "Job 1" to get rich off local taxes.

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There's a lot of corruption here, as those who make the rules get the gold. Makes you wonder if there is a way around this: like all the businesses that put vans in front painted with the business name as large as possible because ridiculously over-restrictive sign ordinances have banned from from putting out any sign at all. How about T-Mobile trucks with antennas that raise of the back when they park? Local news stations do this all the time. It might work, as I don't think the local government sign-nazis have been able to crush the "van as sign" idea.

Nobody forces you to live in one of these local jurisdictions. Move yourself outside one of these incorporated areas and enjoy the freedom of lower taxes if you want.

Unfortunately, a lot of people want the services these local entities provide, but they don't actually want to pay for those services.

Better yet, make the rapacious governments change: There's no need to go anywhere.

And with revenues to these governments soaring, there is no question about paying for services: they are more than paid for. It's the paying for the pure waste that "most people don't actually want to pay" for.

The Bell California city administrator making $700,000 a year off taxpayers? That's not "services": and rather than leave Bell, the people put a stop to it.

There's absolutely no situation anything like people wanting services and not wanting to pay for them. The solution of "leave if you don't like the waste of tax money" is indefensible.

Why do these governments want to steal from cell providers? Because they can.

I think the issue T-Mobile is trying to make is the impact these local barriers have on meeting FCC-mandated build-out requirements. The power to tax is the power to destroy. While I see some merit in communities regulating eyesores, like cell towers, they cross the line when they attempt to stall deployment and bleed carriers dry.

And if you see some town where the streets are crumbling and the city officials are using the tax dollars to fatten their wallets and become millionaires, the problem is clearly systemic and has nothing to do with them not being able to steal massive amounts from TMobile for building towers.

The middle class in California has been leaving, it's well documented. California could end up with the rich and famous on one end and the poor, homeless, undocumented and illegal on the other.

They are leaving to states like Texas and Arizona.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I meant it is better to change corrupt/hostile government policies rather than force people to leave.

As opposed to those who defend the bad policies and spout "Let the eat cake!" to the citizens who either have to suffer through the plunder of their property and degraded services or flee to states like Texas that have a better quality-of-life.

Supporting the bad policies is what is "indefensible". Families leaving to go to better states is quite understandable.

"Instead you just post your complaints here where nothing will actually happen nor will anything change"

Now I know you are speaking from vast experience.

I've made no such complaints about local jurisdictions. I'm still waiting to hear how you will "make the rapacious governments change". You fell very silent when asked that question. It sounds like you remain exactly where you are and continue to pay your taxes as you are told while making complaints here in this forum. Has any governments changed based upon your posts?

I've made no such complaints about local jurisdictions. I'm still waiting to hear how you will "make the rapacious governments change". You fell very silent when asked that question. It sounds like you remain exactly where you are and continue to pay your taxes as you are told while making complaints here in this forum. Has any governments changed based upon your posts?

Silence to questions based on false premises and peevish/pointless accusations shall be expected.